On the 18 minute mark in the video, the master remarks that around the end of the Lunar New Year, he is said to "depart for Sukhavati and will wait for us there". This is similar to how Ven. Master Guang Qin passed into nirvana on the fifth day of the new year. I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder if he really meant that...that would be a really sad day if he did....but offers hope for those who wish to help beings as well. A double sided story to share.

tktru wrote:On the 18 minute mark in the video, the master remarks that around the end of the Lunar New Year, he is said to "depart for Sukhavati and will wait for us there". This is similar to how Ven. Master Guang Qin passed into nirvana on the fifth day of the new year.

Is the prediction of one's passing common with Chinese Pure Land teachers?

How foolish you are, grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention! - Vasubandhu

When I asked the master this, he answered, "I, too, have had this question, and the same thought occurs to you, Yuien-bo!"When I reflect deeply on it, by the very fact that I do not rejoice at what should fill me with such joy that I dance in the air and dance on the earth, I realize all the more that my birth is completely settled. What suppresses the heart that that should rejoice and keeps one from rejoicing is the action of blind passions. Nevertheless, the Buddha, knowing this beforehand, called us 'foolish beings possessed of blind passions'; thus, becoming aware that the compassionate Vow of Other Power is indeed for the sake of ourselves, who are such beings, we find it all the more trustworthy.

"Further, having no thought of wanting to go to the Pure Land quickly, we think forlornly that we may die even when we become slightly ill; this is the action of blind passions. It is hard for us to abandon this old home of pain, where we have been transmigrating for innumerable kalpas down to the present, and we feel no longing for the Pure Land of peace, where we have yet to be born. Truly, how powerful our blind passions are! But though we feel reluctant to part from this world, at the moment our karmic bonds to this saha world run out and helplessly we die, we shall go to that land. Amida pities especially the person who has no thought of wanting to go to the Pure Land quickly. Reflecting on this, we feel the great Vow of great compassion to be all the more trustworthy and realize that our birth is settled.

"If we had the feeling of dancing with joy and wishing to go to the Pure Land quickly, we might wonder if we weren't free of blind passions."Thus were his words.

2 stories here...

http://www.ymba.org/parable/parabfr3.htmPARABLE 030:CULTIVATION (MONKS AND KINGS)Once the Chinese Emperor Mu Chung of the Tang Dynasty, impressed by the level of cultivation of National Master Wu Yeh invited him to come for an audience. To just about any subject, this would have been an overwhelming honor. However, the master kept refusing because he did not want to be disturbed by worldly matters. So the emperor told his envoy, "If you cannot persuade Master Wu Yeh to come, you will have to forfeit your life." The envoy sought out the master and tearfully asked for his cooperation.

The monk, unable to refuse the request at this point, said, "All right, I will go." So he gathered the whole assembly and asked his followers, "Who would like to join me for an audience with the emperor?" When a disciple raised his hand, the master asked, "How many miles can you travel in one day?" The disciple answered, "Fifty." The monk said, "That's not good enough". A second disciple was asked the same question and said, "Sixty-five," to which the monk replied again, "That's not good enough." A third disciple said, "Seventy miles," and for the third time, the monk said, "That's not good enough."

Then a young monk raised his hand and said, "I will go wherever you go, Master." So the Master did his ablutions, then went back and sat on his elevated seat, entered Samadhi and expired on the spot, in a seated position. The young monk, seeing that, said, "Oh, Master, you have gone. Let me go too." And he expired standing.

This anecdote illustrates that truly accomplished monks are free of mundane preoccupations --beyond Birth and Death.

PARABLE 0125:PURE LAND (SECRETS OF REBIRTH IN SUKHAVATI)"A laywoman once approached a well-known Elder Master and asked: 'I have recited the Buddha's name for some time now, but have not seen any sign of progress. Can you explain to me why this is so?' The Master said, 'Reciting the Buddha's name is not difficult; the difficulty lies in perseverance. Perhaps you have not recited regularly and in a persevering manner.' The laywoman replied, 'You are entirely right. I am usually interrupted in my recitation and have not been persevering, because of family obligations. From now on, I will put aside all distractions and vow to keep reciting exactly as taught.' Some time later, she returned and asked, 'Since receiving your instructions last time, I have put aside all external distractions and recited the Buddha's name regularly, every day. Why is it that I still do not see any results?' The abbot replied, 'Reciting the Buddha's name is not difficult; the difficulty lies in perseverance. Persevering is not difficult; the difficulty lies in being single minded. Although, on the surface, you may have put all distractions aside, in your mind you still worry about possessions and property and are still attached to children and family. You have neither discarded worry nor eliminated the root of love-attachment. How can you achieve one-pointedness of mind and see Amitabha Buddha?' Hearing this, the woman sighed aloud 'That is so true, Master! Although I have seemingly abandoned all distractions, my mind is still preoccupied with them. From now on, I vow to disregard everything and recite the Buddha's name single mindedly.' Thereupon she went home and, from that time on, each time her children or anyone else sought her advice or confided in her, she would invariably reply, 'I want peace of mind, and do not wish to be bothered by anything.' For this reason, everyone referred to her as 'the woman who is above all worry and care.' A few years later, she went to bow to the abbot at his temple, saying, 'Thanks to your advice and teaching, I have now achieved one-pointedness of mind and have seen Amitabha Buddha. I have come to pay my respects and take leave of you, Abbot, because I will soon be reborn in the Pure Land.'

Perhaps and perhaps not...like in Ch'an lineages, after the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng, they appoint successors to continue their lineage mission work...And exactly in that line, the Ven Master's vision and mission...'Buddhism via Education' and many bodies set up like the 'Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation' to achieve those goals, via the trained Ordained and Laity...

http://www.amtfweb.org/english/master-h ... wpoint.htmNurturing Buddhist Successors through LecturesThe Importance of Buddhist SuccessorsThe president of the Buddhist Association of China, Mr. Pu-Chu Zhao made a simple but eloquent appeal at the 1991 Shanghai Conference of Chinese Buddhist Education. "It is of paramount importance for the future of Chinese Buddhism that first, we train Buddhist successors. Second, we train Buddhist successors. Third, we train Buddhist successors." His sincere, enthusiastic and honest speech deeply moved the audience.

After his talk, thoughts and plans to bring his ideas to fruition preoccupied Buddhists throughout China. The ensuing enthusiasm to carry out his appeal resulted in the establishment of many new Buddhist colleges, which shot up like proverbial bamboo shoots after the rain. The college trained Buddhist successors in the management of way places and as teachers and lectures, who were then sent to way places throughout China. These new gifted successors guarantee a bright future for Chinese Buddhism and are credited to Mr. Zhao's appeal.

It has long been Master's deep-felt hope that someday he will be able to return to China to help in the education of his fellow countrymen. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, this wish cannot be fulfilled at this time and so he continues to lecture abroad.

In 1985, he immigrated to the United States and during the time that he lived there, his made achievements in race relations and in his work towards creating peace and promoting morality. This won him awards in 1995 from the city of Dallas and the State of Texas as an Honorary Citizen.

The Creation of Classes to Train LecturersMaster was invited to give Dharma talks in Hong Kong in 1977 and in Singapore in 1987. Consequently, giving Dharma talks every year in these two locations has enabled him to develop many strong affinities. In May of 1995, the Singapore Buddhist Lodge and the Amitabha Buddhist Society extended a warm and sincere invitation to Master to give Dharma talks, as well as to hold classes to train future lecturers. When he learned that all the Venerables in the class were from his native country, he was overjoyed, for his long held wish to train lecturers from China had come true.

After completion of the class and with the encouragement and support of Master Chin Kung, the nine Venerables all happily returned to China. Word of the success of this training class generated much interest in China. As a result when the second class was announced, there were many more applications than spaces available. Master Chin Kung and Mr. Bock-Guan Lee, president of the Amitabha Buddhist Society of Singapore agreed to increase the number of openings and announced that they would accept applications on a first-come-first-served basis. Thus, in 1996, the class was increased to thirty venerable from different cities and provinces throughout China. Subsequently, the third and fourth classes begun in September of 1997 and March of 1998 respectively.

In total, the classes have trained more than seventy venerable and lay people from China, the U.S., Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia. They have either returned to their way places or have been invited to give Dharma talks at other way places. The success in training new lecturers to help propagate the Buddha's teachings has undoubtedly helped to instill renewed spirit into Chinese Buddhism.

http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/chin_kung.htmIn June of 2001, Master Chin Kung established the Pure Land Learning College Association in Australia to nurture and train successors to continue the propagation of Buddhism. He supported the Buddhist Educational Foundation for Buddhist courses in Sydney University and sponsored the project of Institution for Peace and Conflict Resolution in the University of Queensland.

One example who translates, teaches, writes and reads the Ven Master's works into English is Ven Wuling and her blog

If he dies, even for us is not bad. In fact, dying as predicted because of practing nienfo, is a way to show us directly a miracle! We may have the unique oportunity to see him passing away as Amitaba told to him, and thats great! Sometimes, seeing directly the face of Amthaba is even better than tasting some intelectual teachings.

There is a Pure Land Buddhist center near my hometown that is affiliated with Master Chin Kung, and they are well aware of what Chin Kung predicted. They are not surprised, however. He is 84 now but has not shown signs of sickness? I don't suppose his move to Australia was cited as health reasons?

tktru wrote:There is a Pure Land Buddhist center near my hometown that is affiliated with Master Chin Kung, and they are well aware of what Chin Kung predicted. They are not surprised, however. He is 84 now but has not shown signs of sickness? I don't suppose his move to Australia was cited as health reasons?

84? He looks like he's in his mid 50's!

There are actually two Pure Land Buddhist centers affiliated with Ven. Chin Kung around me. I was going to stop by to see if they had any materials that have been translated to English. I actually find it strange that he doesn't have more books and videos translated in English.

How foolish you are, grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention! - Vasubandhu

I'd really like to get involved with this group as well, but have had a difficult time getting a hold of them. I called and left messages but no return calls. I live in Austin, TX, and there are two centers by me, relatively speaking, but all of their info is in Chinese. I wish there were more Pure Land resources for we Americans. The Dallas center's website is all in Chinese! If anyone knows of any Texas resources, would be much appreciated.

cheondo wrote:I'd really like to get involved with this group as well, but have had a difficult time getting a hold of them. I called and left messages but no return calls. I live in Austin, TX, and there are two centers by me, relatively speaking, but all of their info is in Chinese. I wish there were more Pure Land resources for we Americans. The Dallas center's website is all in Chinese! If anyone knows of any Texas resources, would be much appreciated.

Hi cheondo,

If you stop by their texas center they should have free books. This thread has a lot of good links too: